Money on the Mic

In this episode, Darren and Brodie walk through five alternative property and lending reforms the federal government could have implemented instead of the 2026 budget package. Cap negative gearing rather than abolishing it. Tax empty homes and land banking. Reward councils for hitting housing supply targets. Remove stamp duty for downsizers. Increase the tax-free threshold for young families. THE...

The Greens have secured a commitment to ban Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangements for residential property inside self-managed super funds, with a 45-day transition period. No industry consultation took place. LRBAs allowed SMSF trustees to borrow against residential property with limited liability - the fund's exposure was capped to the purchased asset only. Around 17.5% (from the information w...

In this episode of MOTM, Darren and Brodie unpack the Albanese and Chalmers backflip on parts of the 2026 federal budget. The capital gains tax carve-out for small business has been extended from a $2 million turnover threshold to $10 million, and the testamentary trust changes have been quietly wound back. The headline framing suggests a meaningful response to backlash. The numbers tell a differe...

Australia's minimum wage hits $1,000 a week. Brodie Gilbert breaks down who actually wins, who pays the price, and what it means for your mortgage. THE BREAKDOWN The Fair Work Commission's latest minimum wage decision has pushed the floor to just over $1,000 a week gross - a milestone 52 years in the making. The net gain for workers is closer to $57 a week after tax. That's meaningful for the hous...

In this episode, Darren and Brodie unpack why economists at Australia's major banks have been changing their rate forecasts so often, what that means for property buyers and investors trying to make decisions, and what they actually expect from the RBA over the next several months. THE BREAKDOWN In the past twelve months, the big four have held several differing positions on the cash rate trajecto...

This week on MOTM, we unpack two of the biggest economic headlines of the week, the 5.97% minimum wage increase that lifts the minimum above inflation for the first time in several years, and the shock 4.5% Australian unemployment rate. Together, these two data points point clearly toward the next move from the Reserve Bank of Australia, and what that move means for property prices. THE BREAKDOWN...

In this episode of Money on the Mic, Darren and Brodie go deep on bracket creep, the hidden tax inside the Australian tax system that quietly eats every pay rise and effectively cancels most of what was sold as the working person’s budget. THE BREAKDOWN When your wages move up in line with inflation, your buying power stays the same. But the Australian tax brackets don’t move with you. You cross i...

Darren and Brodie go head to head on 9 of the most heavily debated questions in property and Australian lending - buy or rent, offset or invest, property or shares, fixed or variable, broker or bank, and the biggest one of all: should negative gearing exist? THE BREAKDOWN Round by round, no easy answers. Brodie picks his side on each topic and explains why - Darren takes the other side. Some picks...

Welcome back to Money on the Mic. In this episode, Darren and Brodie deliver on last week’s cliffhanger - the post-budget winners and losers. From the trust-to-company restructure that probably won’t actually change much for most investors, to the builder backlash that nobody’s covering, and the property types that look strongest for the next phase of the Australian property market. THE BREAKDOWN...

The federal budget just delivered the biggest shake-up to negative gearing, capital gains tax, and property trust structures in 25 years. In this episode of Money on the Mic, Darren and Brodie unpack exactly what Treasurer Jim Chalmers has changed and what it means for Australian property investors. THE BREAKDOWN Why Labor just reversed their negative gearing promise - and what’s grandfathered. Ho...

Welcome back to Money on the Mic. In episode five, Darren and Brodie sit down on the day of an RBA meeting to discuss the immediate impact of interest rate hikes and the shifting tide of market sentiment in the Australian property sector. THE BREAKDOWN This week, the team explores the "feathers in the wind" nature of economic forecasting, noting how quickly the national narrative flipped from pred...

Welcome back episode four of Money on the Mic. Darren and Brodie dive into the upcoming federal budget and the potential tax reforms that could reshape the landscape for Australian property investors. From negative gearing limits to Capital Gains Tax overhaul, Brodie and Daz break down what these changes might actually mean for the market. They explore how these tax changes could inadvertently spa...

Welcome back to Money on the Mic. In episode three, Darren and Brodie tackle the controversial question on everyone's mind: Are we in a housing bubble? As global tensions shift and technology rapidly advances, the team explores whether the Australian property market is due for a burst or a steady plateau. THE BREAKDOWN This week, the guys debate the stability of the Australian housing market from...

In episode two of Money on the Mic, Darren and Brodie dive deep into the world of fixed rates, split lending, and the hidden costs of breaking a mortgage contract. With the Australian economy facing significant uncertainty and shifting inflation data, understanding how to structure your loan is more important than ever. THE BREAKDOWN The psychological and financial battle of fixing your mortgage i...

This first episode of Money on the Mic tackles a massive shift in the property market that the mainstream media isn't talking about. While everyone is talking about interest rates, Darren and Brodie look "under the hood" at the real engine of the Australian economy: fuel and logistics. If you’ve been wondering why your building quotes are skyrocketing or why your pre-approval suddenly buys you les...